In spray painting and the like, it is conventional to provide a mask that comprises a body adapted to fit over the mouth and nose of the wearer and be held in position by straps. Such an arrangement includes one or more inlet valves and associated filters through which the wearer inhales and an outlet valve through which the wearer exhales.
Where the environment is very contaminated, it is common that there be provided a pair of filters in series at the inlet valves, a cotton or cellulose filter to filter out particles and an activated charcoal filter to filter out solvent vapors. Such filters need to be replaced frequently. As a result, the use of such masks is expensive.
Another problem with standard type mask arrangements is that they are unsatisfactory for the wearer who has heavy facial hair because of the inability of the mask to seal around the face or for persons having differently shaped faces.
Among the objectives of the present invention are to provide an arrangement for conversion of the conventional safety masks for connection to a source of clean air; which can be readily adapted to conventional safety masks; which is low in cost; which obviates the need for a particle filter; which can be adapted to various types of safety masks; and which can be used in an environment of highly toxic paints.
In accordance with the invention, a cap is adapted to be positioned over the conventional filter and is interconnected to the filter. The cap has an opening in a wall thereof, and is connected by a tube to a valve supported by the body of the wearer. The valve includes an inlet for connection to a source of clean air, a first outlet to the tube connected to the opening in the mask and a second outlet for connection to a paint spray gun.